Cyril Ramaphosa’s careful balancing act in 2019
A strong showing by the ANC in next year’s general elections could embolden President Cyril Ramaphosa into making more definitive policy moves aimed at boosting the flagging economy
SA is cooling its heels in purgatory, waiting for that day in May when it will become clear in what direction the country is heading. President Cyril Ramaphosa hasn’t yet set a date for the general elections (though it’s likely to be towards the end of May). Experts say there’s a sense that he’s waiting to see what kind of mandate the election provides before making significant policy moves. It’s a sensible approach, says independent political analyst Nic Borain. He says Ramaphosa has to make two calculations: first, how strong the ANC is among the people; and second, how strong Ramaphosa is personally within the ANC. This is easier said than done, given the fact that the shadow of state capture looms so large over the entire party that alliances are seemingly always in flux. But the early signs look promising for Ramaphosa. Borain says that though poll data is scarce, for now it looks as if the opposition parties are losing support and the ANC is well placed to get more than 50% of...
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